mistranslation

noun

mis·​trans·​la·​tion ˌmis-tran(t)s-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce mistranslation (audio)
-tranz-
plural mistranslations
: a mistake in translating : an incorrect translation
… suffers from a number of repetitive mistranslations that leave readers with a misleading understanding …Lynn Ginsburg et al.

Examples of mistranslation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Cole’s butchered Anglophone pronunciation of Spanish gives the songs an odd, unforgettable poignancy: love as a mistranslation. Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2023 Misinformation can also arise from mistranslations. Christine Fernando, USA TODAY, 29 July 2023 Over the past 2,000 years, Buddhist teachings have encountered distortions and alterations due to mistranslation and misinterpretation of Buddha-dharma by Buddhist patriarchs, eminent monastics, and Buddhist scholars. Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 25 July 2023 Khalsa’s theory, essentially, is that eating disorders involve, among other things, a cycle of interoceptive mistranslation. Jessica Wapner, The New Yorker, 6 July 2023 In addition, deliberate mistranslations of someone’s words or the use of selective quotes can completely change the meaning of what was said. Hossein Derakhshan, WIRED, 7 Mar. 2023 There’s a typo here, a mistranslation there. Aviva Engel, Sun Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2022 The motion chalks that mistake up to a mistranslation of an article written in Bosnian. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Jan. 2023 Was the belief in the virgin birth based on a mistranslation? Rodolfo Galvan Estrada Iii, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mistranslation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mistranslation was in 1651

Dictionary Entries Near mistranslation

Cite this Entry

“Mistranslation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mistranslation. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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